Mail-marking machine.



H. B. WAITE. MAIL MARKING mom.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2. 1908.

' Patented Dec.29, 1908. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

,n. E WAITE. MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

APPLIUATIOH FILED JULY 2, 1W8.

907,922, Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

; PAT

FFIQE.

HENRY E. WAITE, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MAIL-MARKING MACHINE.

No. comes.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Dec. 29, mos].

Application filed July 2, 1908. fies-i411 N0. QALBQL To allwhom it may concern: 7

:Be it 'lQ IOWIl that I, HENRY E. WAITE, of Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Maillrlarhmg Machines, of which the following is p a specification.

'lhis invention relates to a mail-marking machine, and. has for its object to provide a hand-operated machine of this-character which will be accurate and economical, and in particular will not ink the backs of theistters. i

In mail-marking machines an impression membermust be provided for hold marked, and one of the defects of the"1nachines hitherto made is that in case of a failure of the feeding means ordevices to carry a letter properly. between the impression member andldie; the former becomes nked and will then make back of the letterj p v The principal object of the present inven-' tion is to arrange an impression member so that it will adequatelysupport the letter while the marking is being done, but will not under any circumstances become blackened so as to soil the back of the letter, even though the feed may fail to work properly.

A. secondary object is the provision in cone. deposit on the nection with the printing couple/and feeding elements for carrying the same throu h the printing cou le of a preliminary fee associated with t e driving gear for carrying the letters up to the timing stop. v

A still further object is to provide a yielding supportfior the impression member and feed grippcnso that the same will give way for letters oiflexcessive thickness.

()f the accompanying drawings,ligure 1 rcpresentsca plan view of a machine con structed in accordance with my present invention. Fig. 2 represents an e evation of thesaline. Fig. 3 represents across section of thesamc through the axes of the printing,

impression and driving members. ipprcsents a fragmentary elevation of that part of the machine which appears at the top (if Fig. 1, as seen from the right of said figure. Fig. 5 represents an elevation as-seen looking toward the left on linc-55 of Fig. 4. liig. 6 reyn'csents a plan View of the printing couple just before a letter passes through the same. Fig. 7 represents a plan View of the letters against the printing die while sing gear 111 invariable relation.

same parts with the letter them.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures. i

The machine has a base plate 1 which is sup ported upon feet 2 so as to be at only a slight height above the table or bench on which the machine may be placed. Above the base 1 is a plate 3 on which the letters are placed. Rising from and fixed to the ase plate lxare stud shafts or spindles 4 5 *hich are rigid and stationary. The former supports .the driving}:l gear 6 which turns upon it, while upon t e latter is journaled the printing segpassing between -merit.or;die-holder 7. Made 111 one piece with, this die-holder is a gear 8 which meshes :with the driving gear 6. The latter, has a hub 9 extending nearly to the to of stud 4, and UPeQIl this hub is slipped the ub 10 of a conveying disk 11. Between the two hubs is a hole formed partly in each, into which slips 9. pin or key12 so as to hold the disk and Between the driving gear spindle and the printing die is an arm 13 pivoted to the base 1 by the pin 14 and held at its other end against an adjustable stop 15 (see Fig. 5) by means of a spring 16 reacting between the pins 17 and 18 on the lever and base plate, respectively. A stud 19 is set into this arm 13 and u on the stud is journaled a two-armed ho der 20 which carries between its arms a pin 21" on which is journaled the impression roll 22. This stud rises between two standards 23 upon thearm 13, and is supported at its upperend by a yoke plate 24. Threaded through the standards 23 are adjustable stops 25 between which is a lug 26 extending irom the impression roll holder, this lug limiting the swinging movement of the holder, which is normally held in the position. shown in Fig. 6, by a spring 27. Also extending from the impression-roll holder is an arm 28 against which bears one end of a bent bar or trigger 29 which is pivoted at 30 upon a in rising from the arm 13.

Loose y mounted u on the printing segment 7 is a feeding dis: 31 which is secured to the segment by means of a pin passing through ahole 32 in botle the disk and seg ment. The feeding disk carries a layer frictional material, such as leather, which i.. adapts alto engages letter and draw t 011-- ward. Cooperating wigh the feeding disk 31 is a disk 33 which is loosely mounted upon the feeding dim is cut away at one si shoulder Xhiuh sen e at the paper partly 2110mm! the e1: 1 groove of the in trigger 29, being bent abrupt angl: 301055 H11 so! I timing; stop for the 10% *1: 'j i 'w i'uii IH) is mounted upon it pivoted and drawn by :1 spring 38 so i the surface of the dies Carrie ing segment. 15 il'e'i'erabl Lhe gee gear 8 so 10 bur: 'Cilf ene revolution. The thorei'ith (,Li'i'iOS a 11111113; .20 merits 38, the number 0f x I, the gear "3M0. Thai; is, form of the machine where of the gear 6 there me members These pieces OI rubber set 1. project radiaily 10m in using (he maehin loosely by hand in a p:

a guide 40. 115

are turned by the handle 41.

liminary feeders 38 (e angle between the gm.

the former of which The preliminary feea "a they engage the ietter 2111- while the cut-mew him of &0 disk 3 i510, ard the e ti-er.

feeding shoulder 34- enga rlcs it toward the n 1&7,

6, and moves me in & 'bion, thus acting upe: ing the impression re the impression 011 iniio the line of camel's, s0 against the ietter when t upon by the pfn 1;; (has. sion 011 is (ziuried siightiy centers, the thrust applied 2 ing die is transmitted dire-- to the stud 39, 1111! 10116 be borne by the spring Qense-tgu the latter may he mede very light so enable the roll to be carried hm U position by the letteF withoutdangec 0'5 '1 tearing the same. Furthemmre, the mngemel'it of the er iever 39 and the mm 28 is such as tomahe levemge power, so that 2, slight pram? the rig'ger .29 the i:

inession roii i1 m mmg step 1 $5 a: the ietn r scarce and solely by the letter itmlf, but by some changed. The latter canv then he slipped I positive means which is rendered operative by the displacement of a trip, the trip alone being controlled directly by the letter. In case the letter should fail to passthrough the printing couple after having actuated the trip, the impression member will nevertheless be moved against the printing member and he inked. 'lhere is no Way to arrest this action of the im ression member after its movement tower the printing member has commenced. in the present machine the movement of the impression member toward the printing member is produced solely by the letter itself and continues only as long as a letter is' present between the impression and printing members. If the letter should fail to pass through. the printing couple or should be withdrawn after having started the impression member toward the printing member, the impression member will be antomatically retracted, because of the Withdrawal of the letter, which is the real actuator thereof. v t is to be noted also that the guide bar 35 extends slightly outside of the periphery of the marking segment in rear of the point of tangency between the same and the impression member. This form of the guide is given so as to carry the letter sway from the printing member as soon as the same has been marked, and prevent the marl; from being blurred in case the letter should stick and fail to travel as tastes the peripheral speed of the die.

it has been already stated that the stud it which. carries the impression member and the loose feeding disk 33 is mounted on the arm which is yielding. Thismanner of mounting the stud is provided for the punpose of allowing the impression member and feeding disk to yield when abnormally thick letters pass through the printing couple. The pressure a plied by the printing couple is limited to t e stifiness of the s ring 16, and this may be made light enoug so that thick letters will not be held or unduly cornprcssed.

The segment 7 which carries the printin dies is rigidly connected with the gear 8 an cannot be removed except by taking the--' machine all apart and removing the plate 3. 1 It is possible, however, to remove and re place the printing dies by shifting the feed-- .lfig disk 31. It is for this purpose thatflthe dish is made separate from. the segment 7 and arranged so that it can turn loosely about the stud 5. The cutaway part of the,

disk also is of sufficient depth and extent, to allow the dies to he slipped past its edge. As appears in Figs. and 7, the dies are dove-- tailed and slide-into vertical grooves in the segment 7. By removing the holding pin 32 from the segmerit 7, the disk! can be turned relatively to the segment until its cutaway part is. above the die which is to be up, the figures altered, and replaced. In the ordinary mail-markmg machine, the timing stop is in advance of the printing couple, and feeding grippers are used to convey letters from the stop forward into the printing cou is. In certain conditions of mail matter t e grippers sometimes slip and fail to feed, and the printing and imression members cooperate with no letter etween them, thereby depositing ink upon the impression member to smear the backs of succeeding letters.

ltwill be seen in Fig. 6, that the radius of the feeding disk 3-1 and the printing segment 7 is the some, and that the gri pin shoulder 34 and the forward end 0 sad printing segment are in a vertical line and will engage a letter simultaneously. cossequently, a letter must be interposed ha tween the printing and impression members before it can be acted upon to brin the impression member into supporting re ation to it and the pressure of the printing member. If not so interposed, the impression member will remain normally out of contact with the printing member.

I claim 1. A mail-marking machine including a printing member and an. impression member, constituting a printing cou lo, a holder for said impression member, yie ding means acting directly upon saidholgler normally hold- Ling said impression member away from said rinting member; and means operated by a otter when engaged by the printing member,

for swinging said holder in 0 position to said.

yielding means, and there y bringing the impression member up to the printing rncm- Mk5) her, the letter constituting the sole actuator for said means, whereby the said yielding means may continue operative to hold the impression member away from the printing member except when the letter is in print;

ing relation with the printing couple.

2. A. mail-marking machine includin a printing member and an impression mem r, constituting a printing couple, an abutment for said im ression member,-means operated by a otter inte' sod between said members for moving t e impression memher into place between said abutment and printing member where it will hold the letter firmly against the printing meinbcrand the entire thrust will be sustained by the-abut .ment, and. means automatically operative to hold the impression member away from the printing member at all times except when a letter passes through the printing couple. p

.3. A mail-marking machine including a irinting member and an impression memer, constituting a printing couple, on abutment with which said impression member is engaged, means whereby a letter inter couple.

atuating said couple, a feed member connectedwith the printing member of the cou- )le, a cooperating reed member separate irom said driver between which and. said. first feed member the letters are gripped, and a preliminary feed member connected to said driver for carrying letters from a pack'to the grip of the first feed members and between the members of the printing couple.

5. A mail-marking machine, comprising marking and impression members constituting a printing couple, a driver for positively actuating said couple, a. feeding disk rigidly connected with the printing member and having a part cut away to leave a gripping shoulder, a cooperating disk beside said -feeding disk, between which and the latter the mail matter is gripped, and a preliminary feeder fastened to the driver and having frictional projections to enga 'e letters held in ii pack and carry them singl r to the disks and between the members of the printing 6. In it mail-marking machine including a rotary printing member cut away -in advance of its inlodepositingsurface, a. driving gear therefor, an impressionmember, a timing'stop at or beyond the line of centers of said members, and a preliminary feeder in dependent of the impression member connected to said driving gear and having frictional projections adapted to engage letters held in the pack and advance them, the cut' ew'ay portion of the printing member permitt ng the atorward-ends or" the letters to, be

carried within the path of rotation of the I printing member and up to said timing stop and line of centers ofthe members.

7. In a mail-marking machine, a stationary stud shaft, :3 driving gear pivotally mounted upon said stud shaft and lULVlIl a projecting hub, and a'feeding disk having a so a. projecting hub fitting telescopically over the hub f said driving gear and rigidlysecured thereto. v

8. Agmail-marking'machine comprising a. rotary printing member, a feeding disk seciired thereto and having a, gripping shoulder, a. driving gear arranged to actuate said printing member and feeding disl' positively,

and a preliminary feeding mcml er having" frictional element to engage letters held in tt ber of times during each revolution, a feeding disk connected to said printing member and having a gripping shoulder, and :1. prelimi n'ury feeding disk having fririhmal climi'nts, the number of which is the some as the gear ratio, said disk being secured to the driri 4' gear in such irehition that the feeding; clu ments will advance letters in time h) be gripped by the shoulder of said l'r-ediug, disk. at each revolution thereof.

10. In a niail-i'narking machine. printing and impression members, constituting a printing couple, on abutment on which the impression member is mounted, a positive feed disk secured to said printing member, a loose cooperating feed disk mounted pivotally upon the said abutment, and a. yielding; support by which said abutment is bold, said support being adupted to give m1 and ullow the impression member and loose disk to yield when thick letters pass through the printing couple.

1].. ln a niail-n'iurking mucbim, a. printing member and an impression member, rorsn' tilting a printing ouplc, a positively driven feed disk secured to said printing member, a. looselyanounted 'cooperating, disk between which and the positivoly-drivcn disk the let-- tel-sate gripped, and by which they sure can ricd through the printing, couple, suid loosely-- mounted disk being carried yieldingly so that it may give way when letters of extra thickness pass through theprintin cmiple.

12. In a mail-marking machine, urotary tive y when the letter is actuated, said feeding disk being cut away at one side, thereby providing a. gripping shoulder, and being movable when its connection with the printing'niember is disengaged so as to bring the cut-away portion above a printing die to per- Init the removal and replacement ol the die.

13. in mail-marking machine, u. base, a.

printing member rotatably mounted on said L use, an arm pivotally mounted ou'tho base, an impression member and means for mov- 11?. 351111 1ll1Pi"-SlOI'I member toward and lrom said printing member mounted upon said Land engsgod with said arm lino loo .lllb

senses tending to draw the same, and; with it, said impression member toward said printing member, but being adapted to yield and permit recession of the impression member 5 when thick letters pass between the printing and impression members. 7

14. In almail marking machine, a rotary printing member, a feeding disk attached 'thereto'and driven thereby, said disk being cut away at one side to provide a shoulder for engaging the letters, an impression member, and a guard member partially surrounding said feeding disk and bent to provide a timing stop ior arresting letters to be marked in 'positionswhere they'will be engaged by said shoulder, said guard being carried away from the periphery of the disk beyond the stop portion so as to guide letters after being marked away, from the printing member to prevent blurring of the impression.

15. in a mail-marking machine, a printing member and an impression member, together constituting a printing couple, a pivotallymounted holder for said impression member,

a sfiring acting upon said holder and norma y tending to move the'impression member out of contact with the printing member,

a feeding disk having a letter-engaging shoulder, a guard rail, and a trigger member overlapping said guard rail and, together with the latter, roviding a stop to hold the letters to i be mar ed in the path of said shoulder, said tending to movesaid holder into position where the impression roll is out of engagement with the printing member, and a trigger enosition Where the impressiongaged with said holder and arranged to be actuated by a letter passing between the printing and impression members so as to swingsaid holder and bring the impression roll into the line ofcenters of the printing member and impression roll holder.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY E. WAITE.

, Witnesses:

AU. RATIGAN, P. W. Pnzza'rrr. 

